Camier wins curtailed Mallory wash-out

19 July 2009

Leon Camier has won his 11th ViSK.com British Superbike race of the season after treacherous weather conditions at Mallory Park forced stewards to call a result at just over half distance.

The second race of the day to be curtailed early, although a shower shortly before the original start time necessitated a switch to wet weather tyres for all riders, worsening conditions and an increasing amount of standing water during the race would eventually prompt a red flag.

Although marshals attempted to clear some of the water, persistent rain and a 'noise curfew' prevented the race from being restarted, meaning half-points will be awarded in this instance.

It meant Camier was able to celebrate another victory after taking a decisive lead on lap nine, the championship leader being followed home by team-mate James Ellison to make it a second Airwaves Yamaha 1-2, albeit with the positions reversed.

Beyond Airwaves' achievement, which sees them move even closer towards the 2009 title, it was the performance of Richard Cooper that captured the majority of the attention, the Cup rider even leading for three laps after bullying his way to the front.

As was the case in race one, Chris Walker led into the opening bend, ahead of Tommy Hill and Cooper, the Co-Ordit Yamaha rider managing to stay upright through chicane after falling there on the opening lap during race one.

Despite tricky conditions, Cooper didn't take long to stamp his mark on proceedings, battling past Hill – riding the Suzuki Worx Crescent machine in the wet for the first time – and going off in pursuit of Walker.

Camier and Ellison followed Cooper through into third and fourth positions, but rather than being able to dispatch of the yellow Yamaha, Cooper was instead hassling Walker for the lead, which he duly achieved on lap six with a neat pass at the chicane.

Promptly attempting to establish a margin, unfortunately for Cooper, Camier followed him through into second position to maintain the pressure. After three momentous laps of having Cooper in the lead, Camier was eventually able to get through on lap nine.

He wouldn't be troubled again when the red flags were deployed 15 laps into the 30 lap race, the decision then being taken to award half-points as the race had not reached two-thirds distance.

After pulling a remarkable move on Walker around the outside of turn one, Ellison was also able to get the better of Cooper to move into second position, although the early conclusion to the race prevented him from producing a repeat of his somewhat fortuitous race one win.

Unfortunately for Cooper, he was unable to maintain his early pace, dropping behind Walker, who made it a second podium of the day for the Henderson/Motorpoint Yamaha, and John Laverty, who produced his and the Buildbase Kawasaki's best ever result in fourth position after a late charge.

Nonetheless, Cooper held on for an outstanding fifth place finish in what remains just a one-off outing for the Superstock rider and team, the youngster taking a comfortable Cup victory in the process too.

With the likes of Stuart Easton retiring, Simon Andrews struggling with his spare bike and Hill having no wet weather experience on his Suzuki, Michael Rutter was able to put in another excellent result for SMT Honda in sixth position.

The Mallory Park race winner of 2008 might have fancied his chances of finishing higher had the race gone the distance, but his result – which backs up the cash-strapped team's best ever BSB finish of fourth in race one – is likely to do wonders for their chances of staying in the series.

Karl Harris endured a quiet race in seventh to get some much needed points on the board, ahead of a conservative Hill, while Steve Brogan posted his second good top ten finish of the day in ninth after riding through from 23rd on the grid.